Persona Infinity
by LookingCoolJ0ker
Summary: The world we all know is gone, and all that remains is the Velvet Room; which has now taken the form of a mansion in a pocket dimension filled with familiar locations. Can the members of SEES, the Investigation Team and the Phantom Thieves learn to live together, and discover what truly happened? Who else was saved? Why are Shadows attacking? Can Teddie find love? Let's find out!
1. Chapter 1 - Awakening

**Prologue**

 _The World has been lost..._

 _All that remains is ruin…_

 _...A trinity of Fools…_

 _Salvation_

* * *

 **2010**

A boy with blue hair lays immobile in the lap of a blond-haired girl. He is semi-conscious, but is unable to move. The blond-haired girl stares into his eyes and mutters a vow. In response, the boy lets out a smile as he rests his eyes. The boy with blue hair knew the cost of saving everyone from the entity known as Nyx, and was grateful for the additional time granted to him after having regained his memories earlier in the day.

Everything that had happened in the past year, the physical and emotional pain, took a toll on his body, but was worth it in the end. He saved the world. Before the boy can drift away, familiar voices are heard from the nearby staircase. He opens up his eyes to find the blond-haired girl still caring for him.

The door to the staircase swings open as six figures, and a dog, run towards the couple. However, the boy continues to look upwards towards his companion, but darts his eyes to stare into the sun for a brief moment. Suddenly, bright light envelopes the boy's vision as all of his surroundings disappear…

* * *

 **2012**

A boy with grey hair steps onto a train as his group of friends bids him farewell. He looks back to see them all smiling back to him with tears slightly visible in their eyes. After waving goodbye to them, the boy stands in the compartment and prepares for the journey home. However, the town he was leaving was his home; after all he had gone through during the past year. Solving a murder mystery and reaching out to the truth of a goddess named Izanami being behind the plot, was no small feat.

Looking out the window, the boy realises that his friends are running alongside the train wishing him goodbye one last time. He smiles at their farewells and proceeds to pull a photograph out from his jacket after they became out of view. The memento was of him and his friends. A few teardrops fall from the boy's face onto the photograph as the train departs the station and enters the countryside.

Snapping out of his sadness, the grey-haired boy slides the photo back into his jacket and observes the scenery outside. For whatever reason, the boy chooses to stares into the sun as the world around him becomes white and covered in a bright light…

* * *

 **2017**

A boy with black hair squeezes himself into the van of which his fellow partners in crime were to drive him home. Six other teenagers were already waiting inside the van and proceeded to explain that they were going to drive him home. The boy, happy to hear this, obliges. A black cat suddenly enters the vehicle, and makes itself at home on his lap as the engine begins to roar. The van then starts its journey to the boy's hometown. However, the boy soon learns that his friends didn't want him to leave so soon.

This could possibly be the final time the thieves were to all be together, so the black haired boy wanted to make the most out of it. Being vigilantes, stealing the hearts of corrupted adults, for the past year had truly been an experience. Who knew that he and his friends had been part of a game all along of which a being known as Yaldabaoth tried to take control of humanity? The group all look outside the window to view the beautiful ocean as the vehicle continues along the highway.

Wanting to taste the fresh air on his face, the black-haired boy opens up the trapdoor above him to stick his upper body outside. He looks towards the horizon with a smirk on his face, and then stares into the light warmth of the sun. However, this light soon reaches him as his field of vision becomes clouded by brightness…

* * *

 **Chapter 1 – "Awakening"**

 _The World has been lost...to a bright light that spans across time and space._

All three boys float in a void of nothingness, a realm between dream and reality. None of them realise what is happening nor are able to move. The bright light is soon replaced by a blue aura which surrounds the three Wild Cards, and pulls them into a divine door which shares the same colour scheme. All three awaken to find themselves sitting on a lounge in what appears to be a dark blue room.

"W-where am I?" said the one with black hair as he immediately observes his surroundings by darting his head in every direction.

"That's a good question," said the grey-haired boy whilst holding his head presumably in pain, "but I also have another one. Who are you?" He slowly turned his head left to face the black-haired boy sitting in the middle of the lounge.

"Re—I mean… I go by many aliases, but you can call me Joker," replied the boy with black hair in a serious tone, almost revealing his real identity to a complete stranger. The grey-haired boy had a look of disbelief on his face, but sighed.

"Well that's an interest—it's nice to make acquaintance with you, Mr. Joker," greeted the boy with grey hair, stopping himself from asking too many questions, "My name is Yu, Yu Narukami." Joker nodded in response and held out his hand. Yu shook his hand signifying that they weren't enemies… for now.

"But my original question still stands," said Joker snapping the two back into the reality of the situation, "Where am I?"

Yu didn't know the answer to that question, and proceeded to exit his seat to look around the room. "I have no idea."

Joker frowned and also decided to stand-up and take a closer look at his surroundings. The room they were in appeared to look like something you would see in a mansion. A fireplace roared across from where they were sitting with a coffee table in the middle, and the walls were littered with books. It all looked expensive. However, both Joker and Yu noticed that everything was in a shade of blue.

"Hmm… reminds me of Kamoshida's Palace, but way less perverted," muttered Joker to himself, "and blue."

"You can say that again," added Yu, who heard the last two words of Joker's sentence. He picked up a candlestick and smelled it for whatever reason. "Who would have such an obsession with the colour blue?"

This statement caused Joker to stop in his tracks and think to himself, a hand on his chin just like his rival used to. He stood there for two minutes as Yu continued to pick-up objects in the room just to toy with for a few seconds.

"I cannot think of who would have taken us here," blurted out Joker after giving up on thinking of whom the culprit may be, "but the amount of blue here is ridiculous. Even that guy over there has blue hair… Wait what?!"

Joker stared at the blue-haired boy who remained sitting on the lounge. He was slouched back, and had his eyes closed; listening to music on his headphones. Yu also turned to look at the third boy with a look of confusion on his face. They both had just realised there was a third person in the room.

"How did I not see him before?" questioned Joker to himself. "I swear there was no one to my left."

"Maybe he just blended into the colour of the couch," shrugged Yu.

"No matter, we need to question him," stated Joker as he approached the third boy.

However, before the Phantom Thief could, the blue-haired boy opened his eyes, stood up, and started to walk across the room. This shocked both Joker and Yu.

The blue-haired boy stopped next to Joker and whispered into his ear. "My name is Makoto Yuki, second-year at Gekkoukan High; I guess it is nice to meet you." Joker nodded with a drop of sweat falling from his head, but was then startled when Makoto handed him what looked like his wallet. "Your wallet must have fallen out of your pocket, Ren Amamiya."

"How do you know my—"stuttered Joker before realising that the mysterious boy must have looked through the wallet and found his ID.

Makoto chuckled for a split second before inserting his hands back into his pockets. He then continued to walk across the room towards where a grand chair sat facing the fireplace across from where the trio had awoken.

"To think that you would summon me one more time before my death," muttered Makoto to himself as he reached the chair.

"How did I not notice that grand chair before?" questioned Ren to himself. Yu thought the same thing.

Makoto looked back at them and simply shrugged. Yu, holding an old decorative sword he found on a shelf, and Ren, wielding the candlestick Yu looked at earlier, both decided to walk towards the back of the chair where Makoto stood to get a closer look. Ren and Yu were both taller than Makoto, but that didn't bother him at all. He gave a sigh as the other two readied their weapons, and turned the chair around to face them. This caused both of them to jump back at what they saw.

An old man with a long nose sat in the chair, looking somewhat displeased that he had been discovered.

"Igor!?" exclaimed both Ren and Yu in surprise to seeing him in the chair, dropping their weapons in the process.

"Wait," said Yu.

"That means—"deducted Ren.

"This is the Velvet Room," finished Makoto.

All three looked at each other suspiciously as they were all aware of both Igor and the Velvet Room's existence. However, before any of them could question one another, Igor let out a cough. They all turned to face him, but were suddenly lifted by an unknown force and placed back onto the lounge across from where he sat. Igor then gave a creepy smile and small cackle before uttering his most famous line.

"Welcome to the Velvet Room!"

* * *

 **NEXT CHAPTER**

"Welcome to the Velvet Room"

 **Featuring**

Makoto Yuki - Yu Narukami - Ren Amamiya

 **Guest Starring**

Igor

 **Social Links**

N/A

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

 _I wasn't going to include author's notes at first, but decided that there was no harm in doing so. The preview for Chapter 2 above was also an addition I made after first publishing this story._

Thank you for reading the first chapter of Persona Infinity! This has been an idea in my head for a while now, and am excited to see the story unfold before my very eyes. This chapter is only a little short because I wanted to upload it as soon as possible, and it is pretty much the Prologue despite only the first half being labelled as so. Therefore, don't necessarily use this chapter as an indicator of the length of future chapters.

Now, I'm going to answer a few questions that people may have concerning the story. 

**_Will (A) be in a relationship with (B)?_**

There will be character relationships in this story. It will be evident who the main protagonists chose out of their female companions in the next few chapters, but that doesn't mean the other characters can't become close. I can confirm that Kanji and Naoto will be a thing eventually, but the rest remains a secret for now. 

**_What about the spin-offs?_**

Due to the characters being taken from the endings of their respective games, the spin-offs had not happened yet. No Persona 4 Arena, Dancing All Night etc. The one exception to this is Persona Q since it was set 'before' the endings of Persona 3 and Persona 4 even though everyone's memories were erased. However, you never know if the events of the other spin-offs games may be adapted into story arcs. 

**_Are Shinji and Goro going to be included in this story? How about Adachi?_**

Without spoiling too much, all I'm going to say is that they would be interesting characters to explore. There is plenty of potential for character interactions, and I wouldn't want to waste it. Adachi will for sure make an appearance down the track, but whether he is reformed or not is going to be a surprise. For Shinji and Goro, it would have to be explained well enough to not cheapen their deaths. Speaking about deaths... 

**_Are characters going to die?_**

Don't worry if you are a fan of a particular character, there will be no main character deaths for a while. However, that means there may eventually be deaths. 

**_Will the FeMC be introduced later on?_**

Unfortunately for her fans, my answer is no... for now. The FeMC isn't canon, and introducing her would open up a can of worms I don't want to deal with. For example, the rest of SEES would not have any idea who she is. I also like the idea of having a trinity of Wild Cards, or Fools, rather than four since that would give Persona 3 more representation compared to the other two casts. On the plus side, Theodore is canon and will be part of the story (maybe even in the next chapter). 

**_Does Aigis possess the power of the Wild Card?_**

I can confirm that she currently doesn't, but will eventually be granted the power further in the story. Her independence from Makoto (without him being dead of course) will still be developed so don't worry about that. Who knows if someone else may also receive the power of the Wild Card...? 

**_What about Persona 3: FES and Persona 4: Golden?_**

The content exclusive to these two versions of the games are definitely going to be taken into account. I wouldn't want to leave out things such as the Aigis Social Link, Adachi Social Link, the numerous additional scenes in P4G and of course Marie... 

**_What happens if another installment is released while this story is ongoing? Are characters from the first two games going to appear?_**

If another Persona game is released while this story is still ongoing, which is incredibly likely since I'm open to continuing this for a few years at the very least, the characters from that installment may or may not be introduced depending on where the story is at and whether they would work. For characters from the first two (or three) installments, I'm not that familiar with them and there is already going to be quite a large cast. However, if there is enough demand for representation I could attempt to include cameos and see where things go from there. 

That is it from me for now. Please feel free to send feedback, and leave a review. I'm always open to constructive criticism.

See you next time!


	2. Chapter 2 - Welcome to the Velvet Room

**Please note:** Chapter 1 has been renamed to "Awakening" and Chapter 2 is now "Welcome to the Velvet Room". This is because the names are more appropriate in my opinion. I apologise if there is any confusion.

* * *

 **Chapter 2 – "Welcome to the Velvet Room"**

"This is a place between dream and reality, mind and matter, but I'm sure the three of you already know that," said Igor with a grin on his face. "It is through your links to this realm that you were able to be saved from the ruin of mankind." Igor's grin immediately faded and his face became more serious in expression. The atmosphere within the room became familiar to the trinity of Wild Cards. However, the moment of clarity was soon gone when they cringed at Igor's remark and became visibly distraught upon learning that the world may have ended without any of them being able to stop it.

"The ruin—of mankind?" asked a confused Yu as he clenched his right fist in visible frustration. Ren and Makoto said nothing as they both seemed to be in deep thought regarding what they just heard.

"…but I'm getting ahead of myself. Everything will be explained in due time," said Igor.

After this statement, the trinity of Fools had made themselves comfortable in different parts of the room to cope with the revelation. Yu stood in place in the middle of the room in denial, Ren made his way to the closest wall to lean against a bookcase to ponder the validity of Igor's claim, and Makoto remained sitting on the lounge looking like he had just been stabbed in the back. After a few minutes of silence, Makoto finally spoke up.

"I sealed away Nyx and prevented the end of the world," said Makoto in a calm tone as if he was preventing himself from revealing his true emotions despite the tears visible on his face. "How could this happen!?" Yu looked back at his fellow Wild Card and tried to comfort him with a faint smile to no avail.

Ren thought to himself for a moment before speaking his thoughts. "Wait… Yaldabaoth mentioned the ruin of mankind during the time he was masquerading as you. Does this have any sort of connection?" questioned Ren to the Master of the Velvet Room who had turned his head to face the Trickster.

"I cannot say," replied Igor without a change in facial expression. The three boys looked down at the ground as they pondered whether the actions of them and their friends were for nothing. "…but what happened has nothing to do with any of your journeys." This lifted a weight off of each of their shoulders, but didn't change the mood as they had still just learned that the world ended.

Yu let out a sigh, clenched both his fists, and lifted his head to stare down Igor. "Where are my friends?" Makoto and Ren both looked at their fellow Wild Card as they wondered the same thing. "Don't tell me that the three of us are all that's left of mankind. You must have been able to save them as well. They are fellow Persona-users, and helped me stop Izanami."

Makoto face palmed, and answered Yu's question. "I assume you are also one who possessed the power of the Wild Card; the Fool arcana. Then you must know that your friends wouldn't have been able to know of the existence of this place unless they were to enter into a contract and begin their own journey." Yu looked back at Makoto with a look of disappointment for being pessimistic, but also a glint of respect as the blue-haired boy seemed to be knowledgeable about how the Velvet Room works.

"I'm just being optimistic. It would be a shame if we are all that's left if Igor's story about the ruin of mankind is to be believed," replied Yu. Makoto knew this, and also wished it were possible for his friends to be with him. However, it just wasn't a possibility as far as he was aware.

Ren, after having listened to the two bicker, decided to jump in on the conversation himself. "Believe it or not, my friends have been inside the Velvet Room. They were imprisoned at first, and the place was under the control of an evil God… long story, but it's something." Yu and Makoto suddenly lifted their heads in response; with the latter also curious about how the Velvet Room had possibly been invaded. Igor continued on from where Ren left off.

"He is correct; it is possible for those who had not signed a contract to enter the Velvet Room under certain conditions," confirmed Igor with a grin returning to his face. All three Fools looked towards the old man hoping to hear good news. "Luckily for you three, and them, the power of Social Links has allowed this to be the case. The bonds you share with your friends have acted as a tether which prevented them from being lost alongside the rest of your world; a safety rope if you will. They will arrive shortly."

All three Fools were ecstatic to hear this news and changed their composures after a brief pause to process the information. Makoto's look of despair suddenly became that of relief as he laid back into the lounge. Meanwhile, Yu raised his hand and proceeded to clutch his fist as if he was summoning his Persona. Ren simply folded his arms with a smirk on his face. This moment of clarity, however, was soon interrupted by the arrival of someone who none of the Wild Cards were familiar with.

"Ah, I see the three guests have arrived just as expected. I welcome you to the—ahh!" A man wearing blue had entered the room with a tray in his hands, but tripped over an object that Yu left lying on the floor earlier. This tray, which consisted of four cups filled with tea, was soon airborne.

"What the heck?" questioned Yu as he turned around to face the doorway only to see the mysterious stranger on his back. Ren chuckled at the situation, but wondered who he was. Makoto on the other hand only stared at the cups of tea which were going to become affected by gravity at any moment and spill over the nice décor. Before this could happen, however, they were simply stopped in mid-air by some sort of telekinesis, and neatly placed onto the coffee table in front of the lounge.

"Theo, only you could mess up such a simple task," said a woman's voice coming from outside the room. Footsteps were soon heard and two women emerged and stood in the doorway. They both wore all blue and possessed white hair, but had strikingly different styles. The woman on the left wore a hat which complimented her short hair, and a sleeveless outfit which appeared to be something you would find in a thrift shop if not for its bizarre pattern and colours. Meanwhile, the woman on the right had long hair, and wore clothes that appeared to be more formal in appearance, but shared the same colour scheme. She looked offended at the actions of the man.

"Theodore, what is the meaning of this!?" scolded the woman on the right to the man who was still lying on the floor. "You better apologise for your incompetence." Hearing this, the man in blue hastily stood up and dusted himself off as if his life depended on it. He also had white hair like the two women, but wore a uniform which could only be described as that of a hotel bellboy.

The man known as Theodore bowed to the trinity of Wild Cards, and proceeded to speak. "I wholeheartedly apologise for my mishap; it will not happen again." You could tell that the second half of his statement was more directed towards Igor due to him glancing over to the grand chair for a split second. However, the man wasn't finished with his introduction. "Ah, where are my manners. My name is Theodore. It is nice to make my acquaintance with you." He gave a cheesy smile and bowed a second time before stepping back… into a bookshelf. "Ouch—are you happy now, Margaret?"

"That will do," replied the woman with long hair whose name was Margaret.

"You shouldn't let Theo off the hook that easily," argued the woman with short hair who seemed to be taking the opportunity to further ruin the man's day.

"Elizabeth, that's enough," retorted Margaret with a look of annoyance on her face, "he has had enough embarrassment for the day." The woman, whose name was Elizabeth, folded her arms like a child and rolled her eyes.

At this point, Margaret and Elizabeth had entered the room through the doorway and were clearly visible to the Fools. Makoto immediately recognised them both and gave a small smile and nod directed to Elizabeth. She saw this, and subtlety blew a kiss back to him. Ren noticed the exchange and tried to block out any questions he had regarding it. Meanwhile, Yu gave a thumbs up to Margaret who nodded her head in response. Theodore continued to stand in front of the bookcase, but with his head looking down at the ground in shame. However, there was still one more person left to be introduced.

"This appears to be a nice little reunion between us and our guests," stated a childlike feminine voice, "I guess it is now appropriate for me to step out of the shadows, and make my entrance."

Suddenly, a popping sound was heard, and a little girl with long white hair appeared in the middle of the room. She wore a blue outfit that was reminiscent of something you would see in a fairy tale; specifically Alice in Wonderland. Within her arms she also carried a book. The girl proceeded to bow to those in the room by lifting her skirt, as if addressing royalty.

"This is exhilarating! We have three with the power of the Wild Card within the Velvet Room at once," sparked the little girl. She looked at Makoto and Yu and introduced herself. "My name is Lavenza. It is nice to meet you two." She then turned to face Ren and smiled. "It is great to see you again."

"Likewise," replied Ren as he smiled back and nodded with his arms still crossed.

"I apologise for not revealing myself earlier, but it would have been rude of me to interrupt your previous exchanges," said Lavenza looking down at her feet as if she was in trouble. "It was me who placed you three back onto the lounge when my Master was discovered, and prevented my brother Theodore from spilling tea all over the place." She glanced over at Theodore when speaking the second half of her sentence. "I see you have already become acquainted with my older sisters, and brother." After this line, Margaret stepped forward to formally introduce herself.

"As you are already aware, I am Margaret. The pleasure is mine," said Margaret. Like the others, she also bowed as sign of respect. After a few moments passed, she eventually elbowed Elizabeth to follow her lead.

"Hey—what was that for? Oh, right," complained Elizabeth as she proceeded to bow like her sister. "I am Elizabeth. Welcome to the Velvet Room. It is an honour."

Lavenza joined her siblings whilst the introductions concluded. After a long awkward silence, Ren finally spoke up and addressed the elephant in the room. This caused everyone to face him.

"So… I'm not the only Wild Card, and guest of the Velvet Room? Wouldn't I have seen these other two guys at some point during the previous year?" questioned Ren. "All three of us being in here at the same time disproves the theory that only one could be in here at a time." Both Yu and Makoto were wondering the same thing. How come there were two other people who possessed the power of the Wild Card, and frequented the Velvet Room without their knowledge? Igor heard this question and had the usual grin on his face once more.

"It is actually quite interesting. The three of you were each pulled from different times; at the end of your respective journeys," remarked Igor as if fascinated with the idea. "That is why none of you were aware of the others' existences."

The three Fools were surprised by this revelation and quickly had a discussion.

"That is an interesting development. I wonder which one of us is the oldest," said Ren with a smirk.

"It doesn't really make a difference anyway. All three of us still appear to be the age of high school students," replied Yu.

"Well, my journey ended in the year 2010," stated Makoto as he wiped sweat off his forehead, but continued to keep his calm demeanour.

"There's no use in not telling you guys. 2012 for me," continued Yu.

"Shoot… I'm from 2017," concluded Ren as his smirk disappeared. "I'm like five years younger than you guys."

"I'm the oldest," said Makoto not sounding like he cared.

"So now that we have that out of the way, may I ask when my friends will be arriving? You did say that they will be here shortly," asked Yu to the Master of the Velvet Room. Instead of Igor replying to the question, Margaret stood forward with what looked like a mobile phone in her hand.

"I believe they arrived in town a few minutes ago. My sisters and I will go retrieve them whilst you three are given a tour of the premises by Theodore. You can handle a task like that, right?" Margaret turned to face her brother and he nodded in response. The three Wild Cards were relieved to know that they would soon be reunited with their companions. It would get lonely with just themselves around after all. However, they did wonder what Margaret meant by 'town'. That was a question for another time.

"Of course," replied Theodore with determination in his eyes. "I will give our guests a full tour of the manor."

"W-wait, this isn't just a Velvet Room, but an entire mansion!?" questioned Ren with surprise. "I know there's a doorway out of this room and all, but the prison also had that and was pretty small."

"My Velvet Room was a moving limousine," remarked Yu with pride.

"An elevator for me," finished Makoto with disappointment in his voice for how lame his Velvet Room was in comparison.

"Yes, the Velvet Room has manifested itself as a mansion with many facilities and rooms, said Theodore with stars in his eyes. "This is the assignment of a lifetime; figuratively and literally."

Elizabeth walked over to Theodore and slapped the back of his head. This caused Lavenza to giggle.

"Ouch—why did you do that?" responded Theodore in frustration. Elizabeth didn't reply and merely walked out of the room after waving goodbye to the guests. Lavenza followed suit after also waving goodbye.

"We will be back soon. Don't have another unfortunate accident while we are gone," said Margaret sarcastically as she left the room as well.

This left just Theodore, Makoto, Yu, Ren and Igor in the room; the latter whom mysteriously turned his grand chair around to face the fireplace once more. Theodore looked at the tea on the table, which had gone cold, and frowned. He tried his best to impress the new guests and only succeeded in making a bad first impression. This tour was the redemption he needed

"What a waste… I'll prepare new cups for you once we are done touring the property," proclaimed Theodore. He then proceeded to walk into the doorway and turned around to face the trio behind him. The three guests stared at him as if waiting to be told what to do. This caused Theodore to sweat a little.

"N-now, shall we get going?"

* * *

 **NEXT CHAPTER**

"New World"

 **Featuring**

Makoto Yuki - Yu Narukami - Ren Amamiya

 **Guest Starring**

Theodore

 **Social Links**

N/A

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

Wow, I didn't expect Chapter 1 of this story to receive 190 views, 13 favourites and 14 followers in a few days. I am grateful that people are checking it out. The statistics actually motivated me in writing Chapter 2, so I would like to thank everyone.

The story is going to pick-up soon once we are introduced to the rest of the characters. I can confirm that this will happen next chapter so be prepared. As you can tell from the preview above, Social Links will be a mechanic throughout this story. However, these Social Links are not just limited to the Wild Cards. There will be bonds being formed between all of the characters, and these will be reflected through Social Links.

I'm hoping to release Chapter 3 within the next week.

 **Edit:** Sorry, but I was unable to meet the initial proposed release date for Chapter 3 due to exams and such.

That is it from me for now. Please feel free to send feedback, and leave a review. I'm always open to constructive criticism.

See you next time!


	3. Chapter 3 - New World

**Please note:** A few edits have been made to Chapters 1 and 2. The most notable change is the Q&A within the author's notes of Chapter 1 being updated with three additional questions and slight edits. It was also previously stated that the rest of the characters would be introduced in this chapter. However, I decided to change it so that the protagonists could explore the Velvet Manor a little bit more and interact with Theodore. This has been compensated with a small section dedicated to each cast throughout the chapter.

* * *

 **Chapter 3 – "New World"**

 **?**

…Red fog was all they could see of their surroundings, and what used to be the roof of the school had been warped in ways that none of them could describe. No one knew was happening, and they were all in fear as it was quite bizarre for the environment to change that much in the span of seconds; even for the likes of them. It was only just moments ago that the group ran onto the roof of the school to reunite with the one person who changed all of their lives. He was a dorm mate, a companion, a rival, a friend, a lover, a leader… who passed away peacefully in the arms of the one who held him the dearest. No one knew what to say when it happened and the joy that had been present beforehand was soon replaced with sorrow and grief. They weren't able to wake him up no matter how hard they tried. It wasn't long until everyone had tears in their eyes and couldn't bear to make the conclusion that he was gone forever. However, the world around them soon changed and became distorted as if it was… the Dark Hour… but it couldn't be, right? It surely wasn't a coincidence that this strange event was to occur only moments after his death. Seven of them, and a dog, stood in silence and shock at what had just happened. Only questions filled their minds as they tried to make sense of the situation whilst the thick fog surrounded them. The Persona-users only caught a glimpse of this ruined world before a bright light suddenly enveloped the area…

 _All that remains is ruin... and a thick red fog which devours all._

* * *

 **Long Hallway / Velvet Manor**

 **Morning**

A long hallway stretched out in either direction from where Theodore and the Fools exited the room in which Igor resided. The attendant stood waiting patiently for the trinity to the right of the doorway, and beckoned them over. They did as he commanded and proceeded to follow the strange man in blue. The hallway itself wasn't too wide, but had large glass windows in which plenty of sunlight shone through. It appeared to be sometime in the morning due to how the sun was rising from the horizon. However, the sunlight was evidently to be blue. This was most likely due to either the glass panes themselves, or the Velvet Room's mysterious properties. Theodore, like a tour guide, began to detail the 'Velvet Manor' that the group was exploring. He turned around to face the trio.

"Ah, I shall provide a commentary on each of the rooms and facilities we pass by. If you don't mind of course," said Theodore to the Fools.

Yu nodded signifying that he was fine with it whilst Ren gave a thumbs up. Makoto on the other hand was listening to his music and didn't seem to care. He was instead looking out the window to survey the surrounding area. However, he did turn the volume of his music down so that he could listen to the tour as well.

"Splendid! Let us proceed in that case," expressed Theodore. The Fools followed suit without a word. Theodore had a hand to his chin while he walked and began to speak. "Where do I begin… oh yes! The room we just left is my Master's chamber, and is only accessible to those who possess the power of the Wild Card. You could think of it as the Velvet Room within the Velvet Room. While you three were allowed entry this once, please refrain from entering in the future unless you're summoned… or it's an emergency."

The three Fools looked at each other in worry at hearing this news. They weren't allowed in the Velvet Room?

"Why's that?" questioned Ren. Theodore continued to walk without looking back and answered his question.

"Oh…? It's for his privacy. That's all. I highly doubt you would want him entering your rooms unannounced while you're sleeping."

Ren was satisfied with his answer, but only more questions entered his mind regarding the old man. For example, would Igor leave his chamber? Does he even sleep himself? There weren't any beds in that room, and only that grand chair. Yu noticed that Ren was in deep thought, and patted his companion on the back as to tell him to not worry about it for now.

"Also, before I forget… if we were to retreat backwards and head in the other direction we would have eventually reached the stairs to the observatory. I apologise for not taking you there due to time constraints. However, I do recommend having a look at the facility during the night. It is quite a spectacle to witness," explained Theodore. Makoto appeared interested. It would be a great place to take her…

It felt like hours passed as the quartet continued to travel along the long corridor, but in reality it had only been a few minutes. Ren even swore that he saw the exact same portrait of Igor on the wall at least five times. The hallway itself was narrow, but did have just enough room for the occasional bookshelf, table or seat to rest. It seemed that a majority of the furniture was made out of wood, but stained blue of course. Acting as if it was his duty, Theodore would periodically deviate from the straight path to adjust a painting or vase before continuing on. Ren found it oddly amusing.

The only thing of note the group passed by whilst following the attendant was a strange door with what looked like a man holding a carry bag engraved over the entirety of it. It was an impressive piece of art with a mysterious aura to it, but the lack of a door handle meant that no could enter. Furthermore, any attempt to ask questions about it led to silence or a slight cough from Theodore.

After what felt like a tape being replayed numerous times, the group soon reached what looked like stairs at the end of the hallway and stopped in their tracks. Theodore was debating where they should go.

"Hmm… shall we head up or down?" Theodore muttered to himself. The mansion was quite large after all, and he had been entrusted the task of showing the three guests a majority of the grounds.

"It's up to you," replied Yu upon hearing the Velvet Room attendant unaware that he wasn't meant to answer.

"Oh—ahhh, let's begin by viewing the Command Room. This way!" concluded Theodore who began to ascend the staircase. The existence of this sort of room caused the Fools to ponder why it was needed, but they followed suit regardless…

* * *

 **?**

…What is with all of this red fog!? Did we fail to truly solve the case!? Is this the TV World!? That is all that ran through the minds of the seven figures standing on the train platform when the world around them suddenly became distorted in ways that no one could describe. Why did this have to happen now of all times? They had just said farewell to the guy who was their senpai, sensei, partner, friend, lover… and leader. The boy walked onto the platform and stepped on the train so casually, but they could tell the passenger didn't want to leave the town he had called home for the past year. It's not like he was going to be gone forever and they would never see him again. He promised to return during the holidays after all. However, they still felt like without him there would be a huge hole in their lives. All of them felt sorrow at seeing the train leave the station and disappear into the distance. Whilst some demonstrated this physically with tears, others tried to keep it contained. There was no point in hiding the pain now that none of them could see more than a metre away from themselves due to the thick red fog. It was apparent that none of them knew what was going on, and they were all afraid. However, this fear only lasted a brief period of time as each of them became covered in a bright light…

* * *

 **Stairs / Velvet Manor**

 **Morning**

"There's a Command Room!? What is it for?" asked Ren wanting to know whether it should be a cause of alarm or reassurance. Makoto on the other hand was reminded of the Command Room in the Iwatodai Dorm. He chuckled at the thought of watching the replays on the monitor when no one else was around. Those were much simpler times, but it did alarm him that the entire building had been bugged with hidden cameras. Luckily Aigis and Koromaru discovered them… Suddenly, Makoto's train of thought was interrupted by Theodore as they continued to climb the stairs to reach the top floor.

"Why wouldn't we require a Command Room? It is a place where we can monitor the town and surrounding area for signs of danger, and keep track of our guests. You will find the room to be quite useful." Theodore concluded his explanation upon reaching the door to the place in question. This 'town' was mentioned yet again, and each of them knew that they will have to ask about it in the near future, or find out what it is fir themselves. However, they had to set priorities, and finding out what this Command Room was all about was on the top of their lists… for now. The attendant looked back at the three boys behind him with a cheesy smile on his face, and turned the doorknob as if going on-stage. "Welcome to the Command Room!" exclaimed Theodore to the Fools. Makoto sighed at this unnecessary extravagance.

The Command Room was exactly what they thought it would be. A large screen, almost the size of the wall itself, was found taking prominence to their left with computer consoles in front of it. There were also numerous office desks found in the middle of the room; each with their own computer and monitor. Finally, bookshelves lined the wall to their right. This reminded the three of what you would find at a place like NASA. However, whilst one side of the room was all business, a break area of sorts was found directly opposite of the group, and past all of the equipment. There were lounges, bean bags, a coffee table, television and even a small kitchen visible from where they were standing. The fact that everything was also different shares of blue couldn't be ignored either, but wasn't a surprise after navigating the blue hallway for so long.

Theodore appeared to have stars in his eyes upon entering the room for good reason. Yu was shocked at first and tried to comprehend what he was seeing whilst Ren was eager to make use of it. Even Makoto was impressed by the sheer size and utility of the Command Room, and it again reminded him of the dorm… but way better of course.

"Wow, this is pretty cool," said Yu to the others. Ren smirked in response and Theodore nodded in agreement with pride.

The group had entered the room at this point and explored what was inside while Theo remained near the entrance. Ren made his way to the bookshelves and began to browse it. However, he wasn't wearing his glasses and somewhat struggled to read the smaller words. It's not like Ren couldn't see without his glasses; he never wore them when in his Phantom Thief attire, and opted to go without them when walking the streets of Tokyo for the last time before returning home. Being unable to read at that moment did annoy the Phantom Thief though, but his problem was soon resolved after feeling a bulge in his pocket. Upon reaching in to see what it was, he felt his glasses and was relieved to find that they were on him the entire time.

"But didn't I leave them in my bag…?" whispered Ren in surprise hoping that no one else noticed his confusion. He placed the spectacles on his face and began to read the contents of the bookshelf. Yu was facing Ren's direction when this happened and so learned that his fellow Wild Card wore glasses.

"Huh, I didn't take him for someone who wore glasses… not that my friends and I can talk," Yu whispered to himself. Ren had already scanned through a few books at quite a fast rate. He only wanted to find out what they were about, and if their contents were to be useful.

"Hmm… these books appear to contain information on many different Personas and Shadows. This is quite an interesting find," said Ren out loud to make sure the others heard him. Over the past year, the Phantom Thief has read more than a few novels in order to improve his social 'stats' and increase his effectiveness as a thief. He had found it to be a great way to pass the time when not exploring Palaces or making connections, and so has developed an interest and hobby in reading.

"Ah yes, they are interesting reads if you have the time and aptitude. My sisters Margaret and Lavenza spend a lot of their spare time reading," replied Theodore from near the entrance to the Phantom Thief. "Those are not even all of the books we possess in the manor. There's a library downstairs with every title imaginable. It is quite expansive." Ren was speechless at learning this and made a mental note to evaluate the credibility of that statement in the future.

"What does this mansion not have?" muttered Makoto to himself while checking out the console in front of the large screen, "this all too good to be true." The blue-haired boy had become a genius from all of those nights he spent studying, and playing a Quiz Game, when he and his friends didn't go to the tower known as Tartarus, and learnt a thing or two about computers from a certain friend of his, so… working the console wasn't too difficult for him at all.

He found the date and time to be displayed on the top right corner of the monitor. Huh..!?

 **7:01 AM**

 **January 1, 20XX**

Makoto read the date and was immediately surprised. He just assumed that time didn't pass within the Velvet Room since his visits, even if they seemed to go on for hours, only lasted a split second in the real world. The number of times his friends asked if he was okay due to him spacing out… Makoto could only form a smile at thinking about those innocent memories…

"Ah yes, whilst time wasn't always measured within the confines of the Velvet Room this recent shift has caused occurrences such as weather and the changing of the seasons. My sisters and I decided to begin keeping track of this 'time' when you three arrived. Thus, today is the first of January is it not?" explained a voice from behind Makoto. The Fool turned around to find Theodore behind him with a smile on his face. The blue-haired boy wondered how the heck he managed to get behind him so stealthily. He appeared to be waiting for an answer.

"I guess it is," answered Makoto with no other knowledge of how time worked within the Velvet Room. At least life in the Velvet Room wasn't going to be as static as he originally thought.

"Excellent," said Theodore. "If you wish to inquire further regarding the Velvet Room I would be happy to answer any questions to the best of my ability."

Makoto thought about the offer for the moment, but then decided to decline for now.

"I'm good for the time being thanks," replied Makoto. Theodore appeared to be disappointed at this response, but quickly returned to his formal posture.

"I shall wait at the entrance to the room if you change your mind, or if you and the others are ready to leave," concluded Theodore before marching off to return to his post.

"This guy makes Elizabeth seem completely normal," said Makoto under his breath after Theodore was out of listening range. He then let out a sigh before returning to make use of the consoles.

After a short while, Makoto inputted a command and various screens flashed upon the large monitor. They appeared to be showcasing footage of numerous locations of interest. Makoto immediately recognised a few of them such as Paulownia Mall, Naganaki Shrine and even the Iwatodai Dorm, but he wasn't familiar with a majority of the rest. He knew this was inside the Velvet Room as the same blue sunlight from earlier was evidently visible in the footage.

"This must be that town mentioned before," concluded Makoto in a low tone of voice. Numerous questions soon entered his mind regarding what he was seeing. Why does this town exist? Why are locations he is familiar with inside the Velvet Room? What are all of these others places? Wait… is that!?

Makoto could only stare at one of the screens in agony at what he was seeing. He was also holding onto the console tightly with his right hand.

"Tartarus...," muttered Makoto under his breath in anger.

* * *

 **?**

…A van suddenly stalled on the coastal highway of which it had been travelling upon after a sudden change of scenery caused the occupants within to become alarmed. What used to be dazzling views of the ocean and surrounding landscape was now replaced with a thick red fog which made the area look desolate and deserted. It was so thick that no other vehicles were visible, and that there was no way to tell what exactly happened. The group inside the van noticed their leader was missing, and that the atmosphere felt familiar… He just disappeared without a trace. While it's true that the group worked together to fight against the injustices of society, there was no denying at this point that they were all friends. None of this would have been possible without him. He was a fellow thief, peer, friend, brother, lover and most importantly the leader. None of them knew if it would have been possible for them to all get together as a group again due to their lives moving on. This was something that all of them were sad about. They wanted to have one last adventure with him before he returned home. Thus, it was decided that they would 'kidnap' him and have some fun for possibly the last time. However, these plans were ruined by the world becoming distorted. No one inside the vehicle moved a muscle as there was no telling if anything was out there. After a moment of silence, a bright light soon filled the space within the van of which they resided…

* * *

 **Command Room / Velvet Manor**

 **Morning**

While Ren and Makoto were preoccupied, Yu had spent his time walking past all of the small monitors in the middle of the room to see if there was anything interesting. He discovered that none of them were turned on, and was quite bored at there not being much to do. It appeared that Ren had started to make his way towards Makoto at the computer consoles. They began to have a serious discussion whilst looking at the large monitor. After deciding that it was best he left the other two to their own devices, Yu then made his way to the other side of the room with the kitchen in order to see what it was all about. Upon closer inspection of the mini kitchen and the numerous lounges, there was nothing out of order.

The Fool felt like he needed a break to reflect on the day thus far and his current situation; so he took a seat on one of the couches to think to himself. He found himself lost in deep thought about the numerous revelations which he had heard earlier and what he made of the entire ordeal. The world ended? There are other Wild Cards from different periods of time? His friends are able to be inside the Velvet Room? What about everyone else he knew… Nanako!?

Yu hoped that his cousin, who was pretty much a younger sister to him, and his uncle were saved alongside his friends. He would need to consult the others once they arrive and discuss a plan of action about the entire end of the world scenario. He hoped the other two Wilds Cards were going to be cooperative and open to working together. Ren seemed serious and cunning whilst Makoto was more laid back and calculative. They truly were Wild Cards, he thought.

After some time had passed, Yu was suddenly snapped back into reality by a hand on his shoulder. The surprise caused him to be confused for a moment before reflexively jumping off the couch to face the perpetrator.

"Huh? You can't—"exclaimed Yu to whoever was behind him before realising it was only Theodore. Yu wondered how the heck the man was able to get behind the lounge without him noticing, but it didn't matter. Theodore meanwhile was shocked at the boy's reflexes and took a step back.

"Oh—apologies, did I happen to startle you?" asked Theo to the grey-haired Fool whose tense stance had already returned to normal.

"It is fine Theodore, just make sure to say something next time," reassured Yu.

"I will take note of that," replied Theodore before bringing to attention why he startled Yu in the first place. "I only came over to see if you were okay since you had been sitting over here for a period of time. Would you like to continue the tour? I could have asked one of the other two, but they appear to be preoccupied," concluded Theodore who found Yu to be the easiest to talk to out of the current guests.

"Sure, as soon as everyone else is ready to leave," replied Yu with a gentle smile on his face. Theodore nodded and was about to walk away before stopping himself to ask one last question.

"Ah yes. Would you like me to prepare you and the others some tea? I wish to seek redemption for my potential mishap earlier," inquired Theodore as if pleading for the Fool to say yes.

"That would be great, thank you," answered Yu. Theodore responded by clenching his fist in determination. He looked as if he had fire in his eyes.

"As you wish… please give me a few minutes," said Theodore happy to hear that he could be of further use. Yu wondered why the odd man wanted to serve him tea so much before something clicked in his head. A card flashes in Yu's mind which resembles that of the Emperor Arcana.

 _Whilst not being entirely socially adept, the Velvet attendant known as Theodore wishes to serve others…_

 _You feel a faint bond forming between you and Theodore…_

* * *

 _Thou art I… And I am thou…_

 _Thou hast established a new bond…_

 _It brings thee closer to the truth…_

 _Thou shalt be blessed when unlocking the secrets of the **Emperor** Arcana…_

* * *

 ** _Yu Narukami_** _has established the_ _ **Theodore** Social Link of the **Emperor** Arcana!_

 _ **Theodore** will now prepare ' **tea** ' when requested!_

Yu was surprised to have acquired a new Social Link; especially since he had already reached the maximum bond with everyone he knew, and therefore had already become proficient in the Emperor Arcana. Wait… what if they had been reset!? Yu shook his head at that thought and cleared his mind. He's sure that all will be explained in due time.

The Velvet attendant had already made his way to the mini kitchen to the side of Yu and began to fulfil the order. After a few minutes of preparation, Theodore returned to the boy with a warm cup of tea which had a strange aroma to it; something which was both sweet and sour at the same time. It was certainly something that the Fool hadn't smelt before, and he was somewhat afraid to taste the drink.

"Oh—um, thank you Theodore," thanked Yu to the Velvet attendant who was eagerly waiting patiently for the boy's reaction.

"It is not a problem," replied Theo. He was still waiting in anticipation for the grey-haired boy to be satisfied with his work. "Well…?"

Yu gulped and lifted the cup to drink the unknown concoction which Theodore had prepared. Before doing so however, he attempted to delay the inevitable by striking a necessary conversation with the man in blue.

"So… I heard you and your sister mention a tow—"

Yu was suddenly cut-off mid-sentence as sirens began to ring loudly throughout the Command Room which had become dark. This caused the cup of tea he was holding to fall out his hand. However, the Fool managed to reflexively recover the cup before it smashed on the floor.

The Command Room itself had also suddenly switched from its many shades of blue to become red in colour. Whether this was due to the lighting being changed, or the strange properties of the Velvet Room, remains to be clear. Nevertheless, one thing was clear in the minds of all of those in the room. Something was not right.

Yu hastily rushed over to the consoles in front of the large monitor to join both Makoto and Ren who were already waiting for him. They had disappointed expressions on their faces, but not targeted towards to the Wild Card who was missing until now.

"What's going on!?" shouted Yu trying to have his voice be louder than the sirens. Makoto and Ren turned to face him and then pointed at the large monitor to reveal three highlighted screens; one of which displayed a familiar group of individuals fighting what looked like monsters. They weren't the only group present on the monitor, however. The two other screens also featured groups of teenagers currently engaged in combat. Yu was relieved to see that his friends were alive but was devastated to learn about the presence of Shadows in this world. He also noticed that they weren't looking too good either, and appeared to be losing. Makoto and Ren also realised this, and worried about the safety of their friends as well. At this point, the sirens stopped but the room remained red as if it was in high alert.

"I am very sorry about the loud sirens. We just had them installed," apologised Theodore who had been behind the trio whilst they were watching the screen. The way he somehow managed to get behind them was like he teleported… "It seems that there is a danger afoot. Whilst I am to defend the Velvet Room if it were to directly be attacked, which is incredibly unlikely to ever happen, anything outside of the manor's grounds are your responsibilities. I apologise for this burden to be placed upon you three."

After this statement the atmosphere within the room intensified. All three of the Wild Cards knew what they were going to have to do, and prepared themselves mentally for the challenges ahead.

 _It is evident that each of us are prepared to fight for both our friends and the world..._

 _We feel a faint bond forming between ourselves..._

* * *

 _Thou art I… And I am thou…_

 _Thou hast established a new bond…_

 _It brings thee closer to the truth…_

 _Thou shalt be blessed when unlocking the secrets of the **Fool** Arcana…_

* * *

 _ **Makoto Yuki** , **Yu Narukami** and **Ren Amamiya** have established the **Trinity** Social Link of the **Fool** Arcana!_

 _The **protagonists** are now able to leave the **Velvet Manor** and enter combat with their **Personas**!_

* * *

 **Makoto Yuki has joined the party  
**

 **Orpheus** has been awakened!

 **Yu Narukami has joined the party**

 **Izanagi** has been awakened!

 **Ren Amamiya has joined the party**

 **Arsene** has been awakened!

* * *

 **NEXT CHAPTER**

"Reunions"

 **Featuring**

SEES - Investigation Team - Phantom Thieves

 **Guest Starring**

Theodore - Elizabeth - Margaret - Lavenza

* * *

 **PARTY**

Makoto Yuki (1) - Orpheus / Yu Narukami (1) - Izanagi / Ren Amamiya (1) - Arsene

* * *

 **SOCIAL LINKS**

 _ **Fool**_

Trinity (Rank 1)

 _ **Emperor** _

Yu - Theodore (Rank 1)

* * *

 **Author's Notes**

Okay, I was being a little ambitious by attempting to write this chapter within a week. Sorry for the wait, but I have had assignments, exams and other commitments (such as playing Persona 4 Arena Ultimax for 'research' purposes) these past few weeks which were of course higher on my priority list. This is the longest chapter yet so I hope you all enjoyed it.

I have to admit that Theodore is the character I'm having the most fun writing thus far. If you believe he is taking too much of the spotlight, don't worry. Theo will play less of a role in the next few chapters. However, just wait until he meets the rest of the characters.

Any reviews of this story which may require a response will be responded to within the author's notes from this chapter onwards. I will not include the username of the reviewer just in case they don't want it to be featured.

 ** _"Is Persona 4 Golden canon?"_**

Yes, the events of Persona 4: Golden are canon within this story.

 _ **"How about Persona 3 FES?"**_

Persona 3: FES is canon as well. I also added this and the previous question to the Q&A in the author's notes of Chapter 1 for future reference.

 _ **"This is getting rlly good!"**_

I'm glad that you enjoyed the first two chapters. I hope Chapter 3 also meets your expectations.

 _ **"When is chapter 3!?"**_

This is awkward... hahaha. I suppose it has been two weeks since you asked the question.

 _ **"Looks interesting. Will follow. A bit dissapointed Minako / FEMC won't be here though."**_

Thank you for following! I'm sorry that you are disappointed about the lack of the FeMC. However, you never know if there will be references made towards her throughout the story. For example, there will be a scene in the future where it is revealed that Theodore's favourite colour is actually pink. I wonder what the true favourite colours of the other Velvet attendants are...

Finally, I have to admit it is unbelievable that this story already has 1,060 views, 41 followers and 38 favourites after only two chapters. This is my first attempt at writing fanfiction after all so it's pretty awesome.

That is it from me for now. Please feel free to send feedback, and leave a review. I'm always open to constructive criticism.

See you next time!


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